Into the Hive
by Madax Davids
Summary: In a mission of espionage, Cyborg has been sent undercover to the Hive headquarters in order to learn more about the nefarious organization. However, when his communications go dead and the Titans are left in the dark, Robin is forced to call in some extra help in order to rescue his friend.


"Robin, we are out of the options; please be reasonable!" Starfire begged the leader of the Titans, but The Boy Wonder shook his head and crossed his arms.

"I can't ask them to do something like that Starfire," he said, uncompromisingly, "We have too many friends in this conflict as it is."

Sunlight poured into the Titans main room through its floor-to-ceiling windows. Robin, Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy stood around the circular console that occupied the space between the TV and the couch.

"Dude," Beast Boy exclaimed, "We should have heard back from Cyborg a long time ago; something's up."

"Beast Boy's right Robin," said Raven, "Cyborg's either been compromised, or had his communication devices disabled. Either way, somebody needs to get in there and check on him."

Robin rubbed the back of his neck and leaned on the console.

"Have we heard back from the Titans East yet?" He asked.

"Speedy says Bumblebee has yet to transmit any sort of message since she was sent in," replied Starfire glumly.

Robin began to type on the console and tried one more time to contact Cyborg. The TV on the wall displayed a picture of Cyborg's face, and an audio line. The audio line ran once, twice, three times, and then went flat. A red X appeared on the screen with the message, 'Communication Unavailable'. Robin slammed a fist on the console in frustration; had he sent his friend to his doom? Starfire placed a hand on Robin's shoulder, and looked at him with pleading eyes.

"We must send somebody," She asserted, "Please…"

Robin sighed and looked at his teammates.

"The Hive knows all of our allies," He reminded them.

"Which is why Cyborg and Bumblebee were sent in undercover," said Raven, "And also why you need to call Chief."

"But..."

"I checked with the Titans East," she continued, "and they had no information at all about Chief or his team; it's likely that the Hive won't either."

Robin lowered his head and rubbed the back of his neck. There was moment's pause before Robin sighed and nodded.

"Fine; I'll call Chief."

There was a collective rise in spirit from the other members as Robin began to type on the console.

"In the meantime," Robin continued, "I want you all to go check on the city; make sure the Hive hasn't made a move."

Raven, Starfire, and Beast Boy walked over to the nearest window and looked out onto the shimmering Jump City. Starfire pushed open the window and jumped out; hovering in the air, she glanced back and gave Robin a smile that said, 'don't worry, everything will be fine', then flew off towards the city.

"Tell'em I said hi," Beast Boy called over his shoulder as he jumped out the window and turned into an eagle.

While the green bird soared after Starfire, Raven hesitated at the window. Placing a hand on its metal frame, the she stared out at the city.

"Needing help doesn't make you weak, Robin," Raven said.

He didn't respond, but his fingers fell silent on the console's keyboard.

"And asking a friend for help, doesn't mean you're responsible for everything that happens to them," she continued, "They know what they'll be getting into; that's what it means to be allies, and friends."

With that, Raven stepped out of the window and flew after her friends.

Robin looked up and stared at the picture of Cyborg on the TV. The red X across his face glowed bright red, and seemed to mock Robin. He had sent his friend into the Hive, into the hornets' nest, in the hopes of being able to ascertain their intentions. When Cyborg failed to respond after being sent in, the Titans East volunteered Bumblebee to go in after him. Now it seemed he had delivered two of his comrades into the hands of the enemy. How could he justify dragging Chief's team into this?

It had been nearly six months since Jetstream washed ashore on the Titans Island; the mysterious, dark-haired boy had lost all memory of himself and his past. But as he worked with the Titans to apprehend Slade, his memory, along with his mysterious powers, began to reveal itself bit by bit. It was when the Titans and Jetstream cornered Slade in his island hideout, that they found Chief. After freeing the powerful telekinetic, Chief cleared the haze inside Jetstream's mind, and restored his memory.

Jet was part of a team of super powered individuals, much like the Titans themselves, which was led by Chief. Chief had sent Jetstream to Jump City in hopes of forming an alliance with the Titans. In the end, Chief and Jet managed to do just that, as well as helping to capture Slade. Now, it seemed Robin was going to have to put that alliance to the test, and ask the impossible of Chief and his team.

_Chief grinned and reached into his coat pocket; he produced a thin silver tablet and handed it to Robin. _

_"You'll find details of my teams capabilities inside; be sure to call us if you ever need anything."_

Robin reached to his tool belt and grabbed the tablet; he had read through every detail of information the small device held within. Chief's team was impressive, and could certainly aid the Titans in their current situation. Robin gripped the tablet tighter and lowered his gaze to the keyboard. How could he do it? How could he ask his nascent allies to walk into nearly certain destruction?

_"Asking a friend for help, doesn't mean you're responsible for everything that happens to them. They know what they'll be getting into; that's what it means to be allies, and friends"_

Ravens words rang in the Boy Wonders ears. Placing the tablet on the console Robin sighed, glanced one more time at the image of Cyborg, and then began to contact Chief.

* * *

><p>As Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy flew towards Jump City, the shining metal of the city glimmered in the midday sun and cast rays of light into the nearby bay. Starfire smiled and closed her eyes as the warmth of the sun wrapped around her. Almost as soon as the crisis with Slade was over, the city had begun to experience a spree of crime from a group calling themselves The Hive. They had begun to appear in small groups not long after the terrible storm that left Jetstream stranded on Titan Island.<p>

Taking advantage of the cities run down state and the attention of the Titans being focused on Slade, The Hive had the entire populous in a state of terror. Starfire frowned as she remembered how obsessive and high strung Robin had become while they were chasing Slade. He nearly ran himself into the ground chasing that masked maniac. If Chief and Jet had not been there to help… No; Starfire refused to let the past affect her mood.

After all, they had located the Hive's base of operation, and had allies on the inside. What's more, Chief was soon to lend a hand as well. Things were going to be fine. That is, as long as Cyborg wasn't…

"Yo, Star! You awake over there!?"

Starfire was jerked from her thoughts by the sound of Beast Boy's voice.

"Y-yes, I am fine," she called back, shaking her head, "I was simply, lost in my thoughts."

Beast Boy glided over to Starfire and perched on her shoulder. It would never cease to amuse the young Tamaranian how her little green friend could take the form of so many different creatures.

"If you're worrying about Cyborg, don't; the dude's fine," said the green eagle with conviction.

"How do you know?" Questioned Raven as she floated towards Starfire, "His communicator isn't working, and he hasn't sent us any sort of message yet."

"Cuz," replied Beast Boy as he flapped over and plopped down on Ravens head, "I went into Cy's room yesterday, and all his equipment was still running."

"What does this mean?" Asked Starfire curiously, as Raven smacked Beast Boy with a blob of black energy.

Beast Boy flew backward off of Raven and flapped furiously to maintain altitude. A few emerald feathers twirled to the ocean below as the morphling regained his composure.

"Ok, first of all, that was rude Ray. And second of all, it means that Cyborg is definitely alive."

"How so?" Asked Starfire.

"All that gear in there is wired to Cyborg's mainframe. If Cyborg shut down, then that room would shut down too. But it hasn't, so he hasn't either."

"Oh joyous day!" Exclaimed Starfire as she did a little twirl mid-flight, "Come friends, let us check on the City of Jump quickly."

As Raven and Starfire flew ahead, Beast Boy panted and strained to keep up.

"H-hey, not so fast!"

Meanwhile, back at the tower, Robin had just gotten through to Chief. The large TV screen flickered for a moment, then displayed a video feed of Chief. The young man's light brown hair had gotten longer since Robin had last seen him, and slightly curled in thick locks out from underneath the tattered, mud colored fedora that Chief always wore. Chief's purple eyes lit up at the sight of the Titans leader, and a broad smile stretched across his face.

"Robin!" He exclaimed, "It's good to see you; I was starting to think this T-Communicator was defective!"

Despite himself, Robin grinned; Chief had a way of diffusing tension in people.

"Hey Chief, it's been awhile," Said Robin, "How're you doing?"

"Oh, I can't complain; we've ju..."

Chief was cut off by massive explosion off-screen, and the telepath had to hold on to his hat as a shockwave filled with rubble and smoke nearly toppled him. Robin was in combat mode in a split second.

"Chief! What was that?! Is anybody hurt?! Can you see the..."

Robin stopped as Chief set the communicator on what seemed to be a table and walked out of view.

"TACHANER, WHAT THE BLAZES WAS THAT!?"

Chief's voice came through to Robin clearly, even though he was well out of the communicator's range. Curious, Robin stained his ears as Chief got farther and farther away.

"I DON'T CARE IF IT WAS AN ACCIDENT, you just blew up half the training room!"

There was about a minute of silence as the smoke cleared from the room. Then the circular screen of the communicator took on a purplish glow, and began to move out of the room. In a second, Chief had T-phone back in his hand.

"Everything… Okay?" Asked Robin.

Chief pinched the bridge of his nose and nodded his head.

"Tachaner still doesn't have full control of his powers yet," Explained Chief, taking a deep breath, "Apparently, Jet snuck up on him in the training room and, I dunno, gave him a scare or something. Anyway, he accidentally sent out an electric shockwave, and set off some prototype explosives I've been working on and, well… that happened."

Chief flipped the communicator around, and gave Robin a full view of the gaping hole in the side of the room. It was at least ten feet in diameter and still smoldering. Through it, he saw a slightly charred Jetstream and Tachaner standing sheepishly.

"Anyway," continued Chief as he turned the phone back around, "Was there something you needed?"

Robin hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"We've got a problem here Chief, and I was wondering if you could help."

"Of course Robin," assured Chief, "Anything you need."

Robin's gut tightened a bit; would Chief be so optimistic once he heard the situation?

"Well, it's like this…"

* * *

><p>It took Starfire, Raven, and Beast Boy a little over an hour to do a quick sweep of the city. After they stopped a few muggings and some petty theft, the trio confirmed that nothing major was going on, and began to fly back to the tower. Assured by Beast Boy's words about their friend's wellbeing, the three were in high spirits and eager for mission plans from Robin. As they approached Titans Tower, its silver framework shimmering in the sun, the window to the main room opened up and they landed inside. Robin barely noticed the arrival of his teammates as he was still in deep conversation with Chief.<p>

"...so that's the gist of what's been happening," Finished Robin.

Chief's face on the circular screen was a picture of concentration, rubbing his chin as his brow furrowed in thought.

"I see," He replied softly, his voice full of concern.

For a moment, apprehension gripped Robin, and he feared Chief would refuse to help. Not that he would have blamed him; the situation was rather dismal. To his surprise, however, Chief adjusted his hat and flashed Robin a toothy grin.

"We'd love to help Robin; I can't be there immediately due to some prior obligations, but I'll send Jetstream and a few others over tomorrow."

Robin breathed an inward sigh of relief and returned the smile.

"Thanks Chief; I'm glad I can count on you," Chief tipped his hat to the Boy Wonder, and cut the communication.

As the screen went blank, Starfire, Beast Boy, and Raven joined Robin around the center console.

"Sounds like we're gonna have some company," Commented Beast Boy.

"What do you suppose those 'prior obligations' were that Chief was talking about?" Asked Raven.

"Oh, it does not matter," Replied Starfire excitedly, "Our allies shall be arriving soon."

"Agreed," said Robin, "We'd best go set up the spare bedrooms; come on team."

As the Titans filed out of the room, with renewed hope in their hearts, a breeze floated through the open window carrying the refreshing scent of the ocean along on it.

Things were looking up for the Titans.


End file.
